ODOT reminds candidates that campaign signs don’t belong along highways

 ODOT reminds candidates to obey the law and keep campaign signs away from highways

As the Nov. 3 general election approaches, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation reminds political candidates and volunteers to stay safe, save taxpayer money and keep Oklahoma’s highways and interstates free of unsightly, damaging and costly litter by keeping campaign signs out of highway rights-of-way.

Placing campaign signs to help promote candidates may be a regular occurrence, but the areas along highways or on bridges remain off-limits. State law strictly prohibits such signs from being placed in state rights-of-way because of safety concerns. Not only can illegally placed signs block drivers’ views at intersections, medians or ramps, but the sign placement endangers volunteers who try to post them along high-speed roadways or on bridges. Generally, the public right-of-way includes the area of grass between a highway and the nearby fence. In cities and towns, the right-of-way can extend past the curb to include the grass and sidewalk area along a highway.

“We ask all candidates and their supporters to respect the law and protect our motorists and workers by not placing campaign signs on state highway rights-of-way and bridges,” ODOT Maintenance Engineer Taylor Henderson said.

The best strategy for safe, legal politicking is for candidates to place signs on private property with the landowner’s permission. Inside city limits, candidates should check local ordinances for questions regarding municipal streets and rights-of-way. However, even within city limits, signs are prohibited on state-maintained highways, overpasses and bridges.

When signs are illegally placed, ODOT crews spend time away from other highway maintenance operations to remove them, which can be time-consuming, hazardous and dangerous work close to oncoming traffic. Removal of litter, including illegal signs, also delays highway mowing since the signs and metal posts could damage state equipment.

Each year, nearly $6 million in taxpayer dollars are spent by the department to pick up trash along Oklahoma highways, including illegally placed signs. This money comes out of ODOT’s maintenance budget, the same source of funds for patching potholes, repairing guardrail, mowing and clearing snow and ice. This expense is in addition to the untold amounts of time and money volunteer groups and local governments spend annually removing litter.

The department reminds candidates to obey the law and keep campaign signs off Oklahoma bridges and highway rights-of-way.

ODOT reminds candidates that campaign signs don’t belong along highways

ODOT reminds candidates that campaign signs don’t belong along highways

As the 2020 election season shifts into high gear approaching the summer, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation is reminding political candidates and volunteers to not jeopardize safety and to do their part in saving taxpayer money and keeping Oklahoma’s highways and interstates free of unsightly litter.

Placing yard signs to help promote candidates may be a long-standing tradition in Oklahoma politics, but the areas along highways or on bridges are off-limits. State law actually prohibits such signs from being placed in state rights-of-way due to safety concerns. In addition to potentially blocking drivers’ views at intersections or ramps, illegal sign placement endangers volunteers who try to post them along high-speed roadways or on bridges. Generally, the public right-of-way includes the area of grass between a highway and the nearest fence.

The best strategy for safe and legal politicking is for candidates to place signs on private property with the landowner’s permission. Inside city limits, candidates should check local ordinances for questions regarding municipal streets and rights-of-way. However, even within city limits, signs are prohibited on state-maintained highways, overpasses and bridges.

When signs are illegally placed, ODOT crews spend time away from other highway maintenance operations to pull them out of the ground, which can be time-consuming and hazardous. Removal of litter, including illegal signs, also delays highway mowing since the signs and posts could potentially damage state equipment.

Each year, nearly $6 million is spent by the department to pick up trash along Oklahoma highways, including illegally placed signs. This money comes out of ODOT’s maintenance budget, the same source of funds for patching potholes, repairing guardrail, mowing and clearing snow and ice. This expense is in addition to the untold amounts of time and money volunteer groups and local governments spend removing litter.

Candidates are reminded that it is illegal (69 O.S. § 1208 (b)) to place signs inside state rights-of-way, which includes the area along highways or on bridges. In this photo from 2018, ODOT maintenance workers pause mowing operations to remove a large campaign sign from along the highway.

Democrat deception in SD33?

It appears that State Senate candidate Kimberly Fobbs is attempting to fool voters in Senate District 33 by using signs like pictured above. Some voters will probably assume that Fobbs is a Republican. That's not the case; she's a proud Democrat, and is running against incumbent Republican State Sen. Nathan Dahm.

In the 6th most Republican district (59.29% Republican to 27.82% Democrat), it's not surprising that Democrats would try this.  It reminds me of the fake Janet Barresi signs Democrats used in 2014.

2,187 Democrats voted in their two-way SD33 primary, while 6,259 voted in the three-way GOP primary, with Dahm receiving 3,994 votes (63.81%). Things don't look that promising for Fobbs.

Democrat Desperation: fake Barresi signs reappear

As the Oklahoma Democrats attempt to make the 2014 election a referendum on Janet Barresi's tenure as State Superintendent, their desperation has reached -- again -- to making fake Barresi signs to place next to Republican candidates' signs.

These first appeared back in September, but just popped back up again in Muskogee. If you've seen them in your neck of the woods, email me.

Between this and cookie-cutter, nearly-identical mailers trying to make [factually non-existent] ties Barresi between numerous GOP legislative candidates, things must really be desperate for the Oklahoma Democrats.

Desperation: Democrats printing fake Barresi signs

A fake Barresi sign in Muskogee

It appears that Oklahoma Democrats have reached a new low in their desperation to turn the tide on their years-long losing streak. Their latest stunt? Printing fake Janet Barresi signs and placing them next to other Republican signs in an effort to tie those candidates to the unpopular State Superintendent, who lost in the June GOP Primary.

Last week, these signs started popping up in the Muskogee area, and may be an indication of a broader Democratic strategy, prompting the Oklahoma Republican Party to send out an email about the issue (re-posted below from TheOkie):

GPS tag catches Pat Key volunteer stealing Dean Martin signs

Up in Tulsa County, Republican County Clerk candidates Pat Key and Dean Martin are in a rather rough-and-tumble runoff election. Martin's campaign has for weeks complained about his signs being stolen across the county - a typical campaign season issue.

However, one clever Martin supporter decided to do something about the stolen signs. Jared, the Martin volunteer, purchased a dog tracker GPS tag, and taped it on the inside of a Dean Martin yard sign, and placed it on a piece of private property that had been a hot spot for missing Martin signs.

Early this morning, he received an email stating that his "dog" had escaped. Due to his ingenuity, he was able to track down the culprit - Lee Belmonte, a Pat Key volunteer. Belmonte was captured on film stealing Dean Martin signs, upon which the Bixby police department was called, and Belmonte was arrested.



I must say, using GPS to catch a sign-stealer is impressive. Kudos to Jared!